Reporter, WA Today

The chairman of the West Australian Planning Commission has been sacked for misusing his corporate credit card and the matter has been referred to the corruption watchdog.

Planning Minister John Day said Gary Prattley had used tax payer money for private use on multiple occasions.

Mr Day said it was not possible to identify the exact amount Mr Prattley had inappropriately spent but it was in the order of tens of thousands of dollars.

While it mostly related to travel expenses, concern over other areas of spending also were raised.

Advertisement

The breaches were identified in internal Department of Planning audit reports between June and September this year.

Mr Day said Mr Prattley's explanation for the spending failed to prove it was appropriate or authorised.

Opposition spokesperson for treasury Ben Wyatt said Mr Prattley had spent at least $200,000 on his tax payer-funded credit card in one year.

He urged the government to release the details of the spending, which the opposition had previously sought through an unsuccessful freedom of information application.

Mr Day said it was too difficult to determine an exact dollar figure but the mis-behaviour was clear.

"The issue has not been about actual quantum; the issue has been about cumulative action that has led to a conclusion that the only appropriate action that the government could take was to conclude that there had been misbehaviour," Mr Day said.

"It's been very disappointing to have to take this action, it's not been taken lightly. It's sad action to have to take."

Mr Day said Mr Prattley had not received a payout but would receive his entitlements.

He would not be required to repay the inappropriately spent money.

Mr Day denied the government had failed to realise the inappropriate spending - which dates back to 2009 - earlier or that he had been slow to respond to concerns over the credit card use.

"When I was made aware of concerns about the Department of Planning in July this year we immediately sought advice from the Public Sector Commissioner," he said.

The decision to sack Mr Prattley on Tuesday was made by Cabinet and WA Governor Malcolm McCusker.

Department of Planning director general Eric Lumsden has assumed the role of chairperson and is expected to remain in the role until April 2013, when Mr Prattley's term of office would have expired.

Mr Wyatt said Mr Lumsden's duel role meant he would be a "player and an umpire", which was a "huge conflict of interest".